Who Doesn’t like a Caramel Apple…Pie!

We have officially started the Fall season! This is one of my favorite times of year for two reasons, seasonal produce and seasonal dishes. One of my favorite fall classics is the notorious apple pie. I love everything from the flaky crust to the sweet breath of clove and cinnamon that coat those amazing apples. In addition to fall, its also fair season, which led me to create a twist on the classic apple pie and fair staple caramel apple. I introduce to you the caramel apple pie! Delicious sugar glazed cinnamon apple filling, flaky pie crust with a delectable whiskey caramel sauce. This pie is guaranteed to be a crowd favorite. It starts with making your pie crust. Very simple recipe, just combining your dry ingredients- salt, flour, sugar. Adding in your cold cubed butter and mixing till you get small pea shapes in the bowl. Add a couple tablespoons of water to bring the dough together and let it sit, covered in the fridge for an hour. Then, mix the spices with your cut apples and heat a pan with butter, once melted, add the apples and cook until tender, remove from heat and add whiskey, ignite and flambe to cook out the alcohol. Then strain the apples, reserving the caramel sauce that forms. Letting that cool slightly while you roll out the dough. Assemble the pie and cook at 350 degrees for 30-50 minutes.

RECIPE:

For Dough:

• 2 1/2 cup All purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon iodized salt
• 1 1/2 tbsp sugar
• 1 cup cold Irish butter (kerrigold preferred)
• 5 to 8 tbsp cold water
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
• 1 egg and 2 tbsp water (for egg wash)

For Filling:

• 2 Granny smith apples
• 3 Fuji or Honeycrisp apples
• 1-2 tbsp Corn starch
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 -3 tbsp Ground Cinnamon
• 1/2 tbsp Ground Clove
• 1 tsp Ground Ginger
• 1/4 cup Whiskey
• 3-4 Tsp Butter

Direction:

1.  First, put together the pie dough using the following steps:
2.  Using a food processor, combine the flour, salt, sugar and cinnamon and pulse until well blended.
3.  Scatter the cubed butter in the processor and pulse until the flour has a pea appearance, the flour should have several pea shapes made from the butter. Should take about 15 to 20 seconds
4.  remove the mixture and add to a mixing bowl. add half of the water and begin mixing using a spatula until it holds together, if it doesnt hold it’s shape, add one tablespoon at a time until it does.
5.  Once formed, remove from the bowl and separate into two discs. Cover with clear wrap and refrigerate for one hour.

For Filling:

1. Heat the 2-3 tbsp of the butter of a medium high heat.
2.  mix the apples. sugar, and spices in a bowl and completely coat the apples
3.  add the apples to the pan and cook over medium high heat until they begin to get tender
4.  Mix 1 tbsp cornstarch according to package and add to apple filling and cook until thickened.
5.  remove from heat and add whiskey. Place back over heat and cook out the alcohol and allow apples to caramelize and become tender. – If preferred, you can ignite the alcohol and flambe the apples-use caution!
6.  Remove the apples from the pan and drain the “caramel” that has formed.

Place back over heat and add 1 tbsp of the butter and 2-3 tbsp of sugar. Cook until slightly thickened and rich.

Assembly:

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degree
2.  Let the dough warm for about 5-8 minutes and begin to roll out, about 12 inch circle
3.  Roll dough onto rolling pin to transfer to a pie pan. Press into pan and prick the bottom with a fork.
4.  add the filling to the pie pan, filling it 3/4 of the way.
5.  Roll out the top crust the same way, place over the filled pie pan and trim the edges.
6.  using your knuckle on one hand and your thumb and finger on the other, crimp the edges.
7.  Brush the top with egg wash and score the top. Place in oven for 30 to 50 minutes until crisp.
8.  Remove and let chill for 15-20 minutes.
9.  Slice and enjoy with whiskey caramel!